Black Keys
by BrokenxTalon
Summary: Suddenly, Ino doesn't feel quite so lonely anymore. [Post-war/ShikaIno]


**Black Keys  
**September 28th, 2013  
ShikaIno, post-war one-shot

* * *

They are each about three drinks in when Ino suddenly breaks out in uncontrollable laughter. Shikamaru turns to look at her, befuddled at first, but a few seconds pass, and he begins to laugh too. They sit there, watching each other and absolutely cracking up, and for some reason, it is a beautiful moment. It's been weeks since the end of the war, and this is the first time since then that they have laughed. Ino cannot stop—especially now that Shikamaru has joined her. The joy she feels is almost overwhelming.

When the laughter finally dies down, Ino throws her arms over her teammate's shoulders and buries her face in his neck. He's warm. "Thank you for taking me out…" she breathes, holding on just a little tighter. "It's nice to be happy again."

She pulls away, and Shikamaru smiles at her. "It really is," he says. He steps down from the seat at the bar and holds his hand out to her. "Let's take the long way back. It's a nice night for a walk."

Ino eagerly takes his hand and hops down from the stool. Right now, she feels as though she is on top of the world, and she never wants to come down. For once, she doesn't feel like lying in bed all day or sleeping the sadness away; she feels like she can do anything. It is an inspiring and indomitable feeling, and Ino can only hope that it will stay with her forever.

And they do take the long way home, continuing the rambling conversation they had been having at the bar, but when they finally arrive at the front door an hour later, Ino feels as though the end has come too soon. She worries that if she goes back into the house, all the anguish and heartache will come racing back to her. The atmosphere of their apartment has become heavy, dark, and cold, and she does not want to return to the lonely confines of her bedroom. She knows that if she does, her world will come crashing down around her once again.

Shikamaru takes his hands out of his pockets and opens the door—which Choji has absentmindedly left unlocked. Soon, they are peering into the dark living room, and the darkness is glaring back at them. Ino feels Shikamaru shudder, but he chooses not to acknowledge it. She flicks the light on, but it does not fill their surroundings. There is always that bit of the room that light never seems to touch.

It's late, but she cannot find it within herself to go to bed.

"I'm gonna have some tea," she tells him, her fingers tracing the edge of his shoulder blade as she saunters by him. "Want some?"

Shikamaru pauses to think. "Yeah, why not…" he mutters before leaning over the back of the couch. He looks tired, Ino notices, but something about him tells her that he's not quite ready for sleep either.

By now, the buzz is quickly wearing off, and as she turns away from Shikamaru to start the tea, the walls begin closing in on her. It is a casual reminder that they are still victims of war—that grief and depression do not have a day off. Guilt and horror crash into her, threatening to throw her to her knees, but Ino stands unwavering.

"It still doesn't seem real…" she admits shakily. She does not dare to look at Shikamaru, but she worries that if she doesn't speak up about what is bothering her, she will shatter like glass. "Everybody… our dads… _Neji._"

There is a silent, tense moment between them before Shikamaru finally responds. "Who would have ever thought that _Neji Hyuga_ would be the first of the Konoha 11 to die? It's not what I would have—" his voice hitches, and he stops to gather himself. "This isn't what we were taught. We should know better than to think this way… but there are certain people in life that just seem invincible. Neji was one of them. So were our dads… and Asuma too. It just doesn't seem possible."

She pours their tea, but she cannot find the strength to pick their mugs up. Shikamaru's words strike Ino so close to her heart that her throat tightens and her bottom lip quivers slightly. Her blue eyes glaze over, and her hands shake violently as they desperately clutch onto the counter. She wishes that everything could be okay again. She just wants her daddy. However, the tall, slender form of her childhood friend, half-hidden in the dim light of their apartment, reminds Ino that things could be so much worse.

Shikamaru does not seem startled as Ino snakes her arms around his hips and holds him close to her. Instead, he sits up somewhat and places his hands over hers. His warmth reminds her that he is alive and well, and as obvious as that may seem to others, it is something that she needs to know for sure.

"You almost left me here alone…" she whispers into his ear. "I never thought I'd see you like that—so fragile. Never. You're one of those invincible people to me too, Shikamaru. I just didn't realize it until I saw you dying."

He turns so that her head is nuzzling his cheek. "I'm still here," he replies. "Don't let it work you up like this."

Ino pulls away, taking his hand so that he turns toward her. "If you left us, I would have never forgiven you." She gently presses her fist into his chest, glaring up at him. "You lazy jerk."

Shikamaru responds to the snide comment with a half-smile and a hand that cautiously slips around her back. "Whatever you say, princess," he teases. "Whatever happened to the Ino who couldn't stand to be on the same team as me?"

Ino finds that she is able to chuckle a little at that, pressing her body up against his. "She was an idiot," she admits, running her hands up his sides. "Besides, our team was inevitable... but if I had the choice, I'd still choose you and Choji over Sasuke any day."

Shikamaru raises an eyebrow at her, and she shrugs. In this past year, Sasuke's instability and dangerous nature have become so unmercifully clear to her. She is incredibly lucky, however, to have had the greatest pair of boys to help her get over it. And Shikamaru, she concludes, has _always_ been just as cool, good-looking, and talented as the Uchiha—if not more. He is certainly smarter.

She bows her head so that it falls on his chest, breathing in his scent. "You're still here…" she says softly, echoing his words. "You've always been here."

Ino wonders how, after all those years of trusting Shikamaru to take care of her body, she could have ever imagined somebody else in that place instead. He has always caught her. He has always taken care of her. It's easy to say that she has never known a man's touch, but she knows Shikamaru's. Every time Ino comes back into her body, she wakes up in his arms, and she is unable to imagine it any other way.

Shikamaru wraps his arms around her middle, and she looks up at him. His hazel eyes cut into her, prompting Ino to reach up and run her hand down the line of his jaw.

"Stay in my room tonight," she insists. "I don't want to be alone."

His eyes soften. "You really want me to?"

"I do. _Please._"

And then, just as Ino is preparing herself for rejection, Shikamaru pulls her closer, and she relaxes under his touch. He kisses her.

And suddenly, Ino doesn't feel quite so lonely anymore.

* * *

**A/N:** In case any of you were wondering, the title is referring to the black keys of the piano. They aren't quite as alluring as the white keys, but they sound just as beautiful. It _might _be a metaphor... ;-)


End file.
